2014
Administrative Message

The UC Santa Cruz Police Department is seeking the public's help with its investigation into a reported attempted kidnapping, assault with a deadly weapon, and false imprisonment with violence at 7 p.m. Dec. 18 in the North Remote Parking Lot.

The University is renewing the Phased Retirement Program, which provides eligible career staff the opportunity to transition into retirement by voluntarily reducing work hours by at least 10 percent a year for up to three years before retiring.

Another holiday season is upon us, and with it comes our annual UC Santa Cruz Holiday Food Drive which works in cooperation with Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Cruz County providing healthy meals to our friends and neighbors in need.

The UC Santa Cruz Police Department is investigating a report of an attempted robbery, an assault causing injury, and false imprisonment with violence that occurred on November 23, between midnight and 12:30 a.m. in the Humanities and Social Sciences Building, during the protest.

The UC Santa Cruz Police Department is investigating a report it received today (November 25) of an attempted sexual assault, sexual battery, and false imprisonment with violence that occurred on November 22, at 10:30 p.m. in the Humanities Lecture Hall.

As in the past, the UC Santa Cruz campus will close during the holiday season in an effort to conserve energy at a time when the university business is generally slow. This year the campus will be closed from Wednesday, December 24, 2014 through Thursday, January 1, 2015, re-opening on Friday, January 2, 2015.

here's one week left of our 2015 Open Enrollment period (Open Enrollment ends at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, November 25th), and we want to remind you, if you haven't already reviewed your Open Enrollment 2015 brochure, to please take a moment between now and November 25th to review your 2015 plan options.

This week the UC Board of Regents will consider a multi-year financing plan for the University of California that could include higher tuition. I want to take this opportunity to explain what that might mean for students here at UC Santa Cruz.

Chancellor George Blumenthal and his wife, Kelly Weisberg, invite all faculty and staff to a Holiday Gathering & Campus Celebration on Tuesday, December 16, from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Colleges 9/10 Multipurpose Room.

An online budget forum is set for Friday, November 14, from noon to 1:00 p.m. Participating will be Alison Galloway, campus provost and executive Vice chancellor and Vice Chancellor of Budget and Planning, Peggy Delaney.

This spring, the Library asked for your help to better understand your needs and attitudes with respect to your University Library. In collaboration with the Vice Provost for Academic Affairs Herbie Lee, we conducted the Ithaka S+R Local Faculty Survey, and 299 faculty members answered the call and completed the survey.

Tuesday, November 4 is Election Day. There are important votes for governor and other federal, state and local offices as well as important initiatives. Voting is a citizen's fundamental right, and I urge you to use this opportunity to let your voice be heard.

The Graduate Student Commons is starting the process of looking for a new restaurant vendor for the first floor of our building in the Quarry Plaza. The space is currently occupied by Joe's Pizza and Subs, whose contract ends at the end of the academic year.

PPSM Policy 2.210 (Absence from Work) was revised to include a number of technical changes with a focus on aligning the policy with legal requirements enacted since the last issuance of the policy in early 2013.

The parking lot adjacent to the Office of Physical Education, Recreation and Sports (OPERS), Lot 103, will be closed to parking from 9 p.m. Monday, September 29th until 8 p.m. Tuesday, September 30th to accommodate this year's Fall Festival activities.

In order to better serve our students, our staff will be in an all-day training on Tuesday, September 23rd, and therefore the Student Health Center, Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS),and Student Health Outreach Promotion (SHOP) will be closed all day for patient/client care.

If you see a raccoon, please take steps to avoid it. Raccoons are rarely aggressive toward humans but a female will defend her young. While normally nocturnal, they do occasionally come out in the daytime.

At 8:30 a.m. UC Santa Cruz police officers observed white smoke near the North Remote parking lot. An investigation revealed an unlawful and abandoned campfire that had spread out of control. Firefighters from the City of Santa Cruz Fire Department, Cal Fire, and City of Scotts Valley Fire Department responded and extinguished the fire, which had grown to one-half acre.

As you know, next year UC Santa Cruz is turning 50. This anniversary is a meaningful opportunity for the campus to connect with our alumni, friends, and supporters. The success of the 50th celebration depends on each and every one of us.

The University is renewing the Employee-initiated Reduction In Time (ERIT) Program which allows policy covered career staff employees, except members of the Senior Management Group (SMG), to voluntarily reduce their working time and corresponding pay in order for the University to achieve temporary salary savings.

EVC Alison Galloway announces the appointment of Joe Konopelski as interim dean of the Jack Baskin School of Engineering. Konopelski succeeds Art Ramirez, who earlier announced his intention to step down in order to focus on his research.

The University is proposing to renew the Employee-initiated Reduction In Time (ERIT) Program, which is an optional tool that locations and organizational units may choose to implement as a cost saving resource.

The Council of Provosts and I ask you and your teaching assistants to be on guard for, and to formally report, incidents of academic dishonesty by following the Committee on Educational Policy's Academic Integrity Policy.

As a friendly reminder, if you have not already done so, please take a moment to complete the one-question voluntary survey emailed to all UC staff and academic employees on or around April 3rd, from the following sender UC_Disability_Survey@vres.us.

This Saturday, May 10, the Student Union Assembly is sponsoring the Edge of Eden Music Festival on UCSC's East Field. Several thousand concertgoers will start arriving by 2pm and stay until the show ends at 10pm.

UCSC's Transportation and Parking Services (TAPS) is launching its biennial survey to collect data on the travel patterns of our students, faculty, and staff. The survey is a key part of our effort to monitor and improve our programs, services, and systems.

Each year the Student Volunteer Center recognizes students, faculty, staff and on campus organizations who have demonstrated exemplary service to the UCSC and local community. Do you know a person, staff/faculty or organization who fits this criteria?

I am excited to share the news that Julie Packard (Crown, BA Biology ’74, MA Biology ’78) has given the Division of Physical & Biological Sciences a gift of $1 million to establish the Dean’s Fund for Diversity in the Sciences.

This notification is being provided to advise members of the campus community, others with valid reasons for visiting the UC Santa Cruz campus, and campus neighbors of the potential for disruptions and hazards associated with an unsanctioned gathering known as "4-20" during the afternoon of Sunday, April 20.

Today was the first day of a two-day systemwide strike called by the United Auto Workers union.
I appreciate the calm and professional manner in which UC police handled this morning's challenge. Other members of the campus community are also to be commended for their patience and understanding.

In a campus message last week, Chancellor Blumenthal and Campus Provost/EVC Galloway shared information about systemwide strike activities announced for UC campuses on Wednesday and Thursday, April 2 and 3.

The Dean of Students Office, in association with the Student Union Assembly, is proud to announce the line-up for the first annual Edge of Eden Music Festival taking place on Saturday, May 10, at the East Field from 2 to 10 p.m.

I am delighted to announce the appointment of Quentin Williams, professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences, as associate vice chancellor for research with primary responsibility for our academic relationship with NASA.

We are pleased to inform you that at the direction of President Janet Napolitano, the University is making plans to implement a system-wide salary increase program for non-represented staff for fiscal year 2014-15.

We are very pleased to report that the University of California and AFSCME reached a tentative agreement late last night that covers more than 8,300 service workers systemwide, including approximately 500 of our own employees.

All electrical power to Quarry Plaza (Bookstore, Express Store, Student Union, Redwood Building, Grad Commons, Career Center, Ethnic Resource Centers, and Joe's Pizza and Subs) and to the Classroom Building has been off since Wednesday evening.

The UC Santa Cruz Police Department is seeking the community's assistance in identifying two persons of interest involved in a November 20, 2013 battery of police officers, obstructing police officers, and trespassing investigation.

Early this morning, UC Santa Cruz Police and Fire Departments responded to a suspicious fire at Porter College, north of parking lot #124 between Porter Kresge Road and Heller Drive. Cal Fire investigators are assisting in the case.

Transportation and Parking Services (TAPS) is pleased to announce that four new electric vehicle charging spaces are now available to all UCSC employees, students and visitors at the Core West Parking Structure.

Starting Monday, January 6, 2014, parking permits will be required seven days a week in the Cowell and Stevenson parking lots (Lots 107, 108, 109, and 110), and in the Porter parking lots (Lots 124 and 125).